NATURE INTERPRETATION AND VISITOR MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES IN MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE

Nature interpretation has been advocated as a soft and non-obtrusive on-site visitor management strategy to enhance visitor knowledge and understanding of the resource, mitigate visitor impacts, encourage the conservation and improvement of attraction areas, and assist visitors in enjoying their visit. However, the way in which nature interpretation programs are implemented, and the subsequent attitudes created amongst visitors can pose a challenge to the effectiveness of nature interpretation as a visitor management strategy. The situation becomes more complicated with limited resources to implement, monitor, and evaluate nature interpretation in expansive wilderness areas like Masai Mara National Reserve (MMNR). The question therefore is, does nature interpretation in MMNR create favourable attitudes amongst wildlife tourists, consequently leading to enhanced visitor experiences and satisfaction of the support for conservations, or not? This research, therefore, sought to establish the extent to which the attitudes created by nature interpretation affect visitor satisfaction or the enhanced visitor experience and support for conservation, broadly termed as visitor management objectives in MMNR Kenya. Thus, Ho1 postulated that attitudes created by nature interpretation do not influence visitors’ support for conservation in MMNR, and Ho2, that attitudes created by nature interpretation do not enhance visitor experience and satisfaction in MMNR. This study used a structured questionnaire for the survey to collect data from a sample of 351 respondents as a proportion of visitors into MMNR. Research findings revealed that a moderate relationship between attitudes created by nature interpretation and support to conservation with rs = 0.426 and p = 0.000, thus null hypothesis H01 was rejected. Secondly, results showed that attitudes created by nature interpretation moderately affected visitor satisfaction rs = 0.478 and p = 0.000, while similarly, null hypothesis H02 was rejected. The research concluded that various forms of NI result in the formation of attitudes that moderately affect support for conservation and visitor satisfaction. The study concluded that enhanced nature interpretation training and awareness creation, along with continual improvement initiatives, could unlock its full potential as a visitor management strategy. This consistent, well-coordinated, and diligent implementation of nature interpretation initiatives by all stakeholders in MMNR would sustain a cumulative, long-term impact.

自然解说作为一种柔和且不具侵扰性的现场游客管理策略，被推崇以提升游客对资源的认知与理解，减轻游客对环境的影响，鼓励对景点保护区的维护与改善，并协助游客享受参观之旅。然而，自然解说项目的实施方式以及由此在游客中产生的态度，可能对自然解说作为游客管理策略的有效性构成挑战。在如马赛马拉国家公园（MMNR）等广袤荒野地区，由于资源有限，实施、监控和评估自然解说变得更加复杂。因此，问题是，MMNR的自然解说能否在野生动物游客中培育出有利的态度，进而导致游客体验的增强和对保护的满意度提升。因此，本研究旨在确立自然解说所产生态度对游客满意度或增强的游客体验以及保护支持度的广泛影响程度。据此，零假设H1提出自然解说产生态度不影响游客对MMNR的保护支持，而零假设H2则提出自然解说产生态度不影响游客在MMNR的体验和满意度。本研究采用结构化问卷进行调查，从MMNR游客中抽取351位受访者作为样本。研究发现，自然解说产生态度与对保护支持之间存在中等程度的关联，相关系数rs = 0.426，p = 0.000，因此零假设H01被拒绝。其次，结果显示，自然解说产生态度对游客满意度有中等程度的影响，相关系数rs = 0.478，p = 0.000，同样，零假设H02也被拒绝。研究结论指出，各种形式的自然解说导致形成的态度适度地影响了保护支持度和游客满意度。研究还得出结论，加强自然解说培训和意识提升，以及持续的改进措施，可以充分发挥其作为游客管理策略的潜力。由MMNR所有利益相关者一致、协调、勤勉地实施自然解说计划，将维持累积的、长期的影响。